Sheet-feeding device



Mar. 5, 1929. 4c. c. JoHNsoN l,7Q3,937

SHEET FEEDING DEVICE Filed Marn 51, 192s s sheets-sneer 1 @Het Heyy/fMar. 5, 1929.

c. C, .JOHNSONl SHEET FEEDING DEVICE Filed March 31, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheetif@ n m m a. a

Man 5, 1929. c. c. JOHNSON 1,703,937

SHEET FEEDING DEVICE Filed March 5l, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 grs/vanto@inclue.

attorney Patented Mar. 5, 19?..9n

SLT T ES CHARLIE 4C.,J'OI-IN'SOIN', OF WINSTONSALEM, NORTH CAROLINA.

snnnr'-rieinninsr'y nnvrcn.

Appiieamnaiea Marchal, was. sensi no. essere This invention'y relates tocoin 'controlled vendingmachines, and more particularly tovending-machines adapted to vend sheets of paper.

An object: of my invention is to provide positive operating and lockingmeans whereby oneA sheet olii paper at a time, and one sheet only, ispermitted tol pass from the machine upon the insertion therein oicv asingle coin. K

Another object off my invention is to pro vide means whereby the userwill' be guaranteed at least one Jfull sheet oi paper for iiscoindeposited, regardless ofwhether or not ak 'full sheetr wasy taken bythe previous user oi the machine.

An additional object of my invention is to provide locking; means forthe feeding mechanism in fio-operation with positive 'lockingmeanstorgripping the paper, thereby givinga double element ot safety in theyoperation of the machine.

ifi further obyeet oi my invention is to provide a machine in whichitwillbe readily apparent whether there isa supply of paper,

thus warning users against depositing a com when the machine is empty.v

its still Y`further object'oi my invention is to provide a machine whichmay be easily: and cheaply manufactured, whose parts are easy to repairand: replace, and which maybe operated at'small cost;

V'Vit'h these andiother objects in view which may beincident to myimprovements,- the invention consists in the parts andcoinbina` tionstobehereinai'ter setiorth and claimed, with the understanding that theseveral necessary elements comprising my invention, may he varied inconstruction, .proportions and arrangement, without departing :trom thekspirit and scope of the appended claims. In order to makemy inventionmore clearly understood, I have shown in the accompanying drawings meansfor carrying the same into practical eiect Without limiting theimprovements in'v their useful applications to the particularconstructions, which for the purpose of'explanation, have been made thesubject` of illustration.

In the drawings: Y Figure 1 is a side elevation oi my device withportions of' the casing brokeny away to more clearly show the relationof the parts; Fig. 2. is a frontl elevation of my: device with the partsbroken` away on theline 2 2 of Fig. 1, and looking in the directionofthe arrows;

.Figa 3 is a detail view of thecoin feeding disk taken on the line 3 3of Fig. looking in the direction of the arrows; l

Fig. l is a detail view of the locking dish taken on the line 3 3 oitFig. 2, looking in the opposite direction to wl'iich the arrows point;

Fig. 5 is a view partly in cross section otthe mechanism, taken on theline 5 5 of Fig, 1 looking `in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 6 is a view partly in section taken on theline 6 6 of Fig. l,looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 7 is adetail view of the sheet feeding slot taken on the line-7 7of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view in detail of the pressure roll and lockingrpawl for thecoinfeeding disk; l

Fig. 9 is a detail view partly broken away, showing the sheet feedingslot, the gripping member and the sight openings.

Referring to the drawingsfor a detailed description, I have shown asheet dispensing mechanism adapted to he operated by a coin and which ismountedwithin a housing 1. The housing 1 has coin receiving receptacle 2which is fastened by a suitable loch 3 and is slidably removable fromthe housing 1. The housing 1 is provided'with a removable lid l fastenedby a suitable lock 5. The removable lid permits the parts to beinspected and replacements and repairs made as necessary; lVithin thehousing 1 is mounted a coin chute' 6, whose upper end lies flush withtheupper wall of the housing'l. f

The coin chute 6 is provided at its lower extremity with an angularextending Wall 7' Jforming a continuation of the chute at substantiallyrightangles thereto. Downwardlyy extending side walls 8 are alsoprovided. The coin feeding mechanismto be later described, is adapted torotate between these side walls 8 and the extension 7.

Mounted within the container 1 is a paper carrying core 9 upon which ismounted a roll of paper 11. The core 9 is ailined to a shaft 12 which isadapted to rotate in journals 13 fastened to the walls of the container1y on either side thereof.

Thepaper l1 is adapted to be ted by asuitable mechanism downwardly inthe direction of the arrow and out of the machine. Mounted on one of theside walls isa castingv 14 affixed to the wall by means of bolts 15which hold it firmly in place. rlhe casting 14 is formed with a parallelyoke 16 integrally formed with the casting 1/1 and connected therewithby an integral bridge 17. Formed as a continuation of the parallel yoke16 is an extension 13. The coin controlled mechanisni is adapted to besupported between the yoke 16 and 1l. as will be later described.

A feed rolleiI 19, which may be rubber covered to make its surfaceadhesive and resilient to the desired degree. is mounted upon a shaft-21 tl is journaled at one end in the yoke 16 and at the other end in abearing member 22 affixed to the wall of the container 1. The sheet ofpaper 11 is adapted to be fed across the surface of the feed roller 19.Bearing against the feed roller 19 is a pressure roller which exertspressure on the paper 11 and holds it in contact with the feed roller19. rllhe pressure roller 23 is mounted on a shaft 2A journaled insupport arms 25. The other ends of the support arms 25 are keyed to ashaft 26 which. is journaled in suitable supports 27. Spring members 23attached to the all of the container 1 and iu resilient engagement withthe support arms 25 operate to keep the pressure roller 23 in spring`pressed engagement with the feed roller 19.

The containerl 1 is provided with an inwardly sloping portion 29 atwhose lower eX- tremity is a downwardly extending portion 31. rlhedownwardly extending portion 31 is adapted to lie parallel with and inclose relation to the vertically extending sheet 11 after it has passedthrough the feed roller 19 and the pressure roller 23. This downwardlyeX- tending portion 31 is provided with sight openings 32 through whichthe sheet of paper 11 may be seen. Ef no paper is to be seen through thesight openings 32, the purchaser of paper will immediately know that thema* chine is empty and will not waste his coin. A, sheet guiding inempercomprising a band of sheet metal 33, disposed parallel to the downwardlyextending portion 31 of the container? is secured to the downwardlyextend- :ing` portion 31 at either end and on the inside thereof, andthe sheet 11 is adapted to pass down between the guide 33 and thedownwardly extending portion 3l.

Passing through the container 1 and journaled in the casting 111 is astub shaft 34 provided on its end exterior of the container 1 with aknurled knob 35 adapted to be grasped between the fingers of theoperator to rotate the shaft 341. rthe other end of the shaft 34 isprovided with a locking nut 36 to hold it in place.

Mounted upon the stub shaft 34 and keyed thereto is a coin feeding disk37. .The cloin feeding disk 37 is provided with a kerf 38 therein whichnormally lies adjacent the lower end of the coin chute 6 and is adaptedto receive the coins fed into the chute rlhe walls 8 of the coin chute 6extend downward ly, partially enclosing one edge of the coin feedingdisk 37.; and 4prevent a coin from becoming dislodged from the kerf 3C.

liiounted on the stub shaft 3ft adiafxntthe coin feeding disk 37 is alocking disk 39 which is adapted'to rotate `freely independently of thestub shaft 3st. rlhe coin feeding disk 37 is provided with a lug 11which, when the coin feeding disk 37 is rotated, is adapted to contactwith a lug '12 on the locking disk 39.

rlhe locking disk 39 is normally hel-d against rotation. by means of alatch L13 whose engaging end L1A is adapted `to normally lie within theaperture Ll5 on the periphery of the locking disk 39. The latch 43 ispivoted on a shaft 46, one end of which is journaled in the casting 14eand the other end of which is journaled in the integrally formed andparallel yoke 16. rllhe latch 13 is provided with a sloping cam surface47. A coin guiding member 48 lies adjacent to the latch niember 43 andpartially encloses a portion of the periphery of the coin feeding disk37. rlhis coin guide 48 is adapted to deliver' the coin to the coinreceivingreceptacle 2.

TWhen a coin is dropped into the coin chiite it falls within the kerf 3Sof the coin feeding disk 37. A rotation of the knob 35 causes the coinfeeding` disk 37 to rotate and the coin slides along the cam surface 4:7raising` the latch 43 and releasing the locking disk 39. At thistime thelug 41 on the coin feeding disk 37 engages the lug 4t2 on the lockingdisk 39 to rotate the locking` disk. rlhis rotation of the locking diskoperates to feed the sheet, as will now be described. I

Integrally formed with the locking disk and journaled on the stub shaft311 is gear 51 which meshes with a gear 52 attached to the shaft 2l ofthe feed roller 19 (see Fig. 2) Rotation of the locking disk7therefore.l through gear 51 and gear 52 rotates the feed roller 19 andcauses the paper to be fed downwardly in the direction of the arrow.

rl`he coin feeding disk 37 and locking disk 39 are resiliently connectedby means of a curved spring member 53. To prevent tie coin feeding disk37 from returning to its original position until after the completion ofa complete revolution, the coin feeding' disk is provided with ratchetteeth Figs. 3 and 1). To engage the ratchet teethy I have mounted a pawl55 which is rotatably mounted on the shaft 26 (see Figs. l? 8 and Aspring member 56 attached to the wall of the container 1 holds the pawlin spring pressed engagement with the periphery of the coin feeding disk37. 1

After the coin feeding disk has started its rotation and the coin hasbeen dropped into the coin receptacle .2. the coin feeding disk,together with the locking disk, continues its 5i (ses rotation..rlhelatch'y 43 is held in spring pressed engagement with the peripheryof -the locking disk 39byf1neans1ofa spring 57 ingydisk39 and locks it aga inst further movef ment. A smooth space 58 without ratchet teethisprovided onthecoin feedingldisk 37 in proxii'nity to thekerf 38.

ln operation, the coin feeding disk may perform slightly more thanonerevolution for each coin dropped for the reason that the lug 4l onthe coin feedingdisk has tofmove a certain distance to encounter the lug4Q on the lockingdisk, and to cause :the llockingdisk to,l make konekcomplete revolution, the coin feeding disk must necessarilyv performslightly more than one revolution. Ifthis were not compensated for,.th.ekerf-38 of the coin feeding disk would lie beyond the lower end lof the.coin chute 6. However, the resilient springconnection 53 between thecoin feeding; di Ask-and the locking disk acts to return the coinfeeding: disk in a clockwise direction until the pawl 55engagesthe-ratchet tooth 54 which lies directly adjacent the kerf 384 ofthe-coin feeding4 disk 37. The smooth space 5&5 on the coin feedingdisk. 37 allows this return movement' to be made, sincethe pawl willyeasily slide. over this smooth surface.`

rlhe mechanism is then in condition for receiving. another coin andrepeating the operation. l

Simultaneously withthis feeding operation there is a. positive lockingoperation*` against the sheetitself which willrnow be" described.

Jonrnaled in the bearing memherQQ onone sideof'the casing and intheextension 1,8 of the casting14 on the'other side ofthe casing' is ashaftbl. Mounted'on the Shaft isa bell crank lever formed by an arm 62integrally fastened to the shaft 6l', and a plate 63 forms thc other armof the bell crank lever and is fastenedl to the shaft 6l. The lower endof the. plate 63 carries a gripping edge 64 which may be serrated, ascan be seen in Fig. 9. T o the free end of the arm 62 of the belly crankstructure is pivoted a link t'whose other end is pivoted to the latch43. f

Because of the spring 57, the latch 43 is normally held in the downposition, which operates through the link to depress the free end of thearm 52 of the bell crank lever, which in turn operates to press thegripping edge 64 mounted on the arm 63 of the bell crank lever firmlyagainst the sheet of paper ll to hold it tightly gripped between thegripping edge and the downwardly depending portion 31 of the casing 1and prevent its movement through an outlet slot 65 formed in the loweredge of the casing l. As will be apparent, however, when the latch 43isr raised, the gripping 'edge 64 willk no longerv engage thesheet ll.

In `ope1ation,`a\coin is fedinto the coin.

chute (Sand `lodges in the kerf 33 of the coin feeding disk. The coinfeeding disk is rotated and the com contacts with the cam surface' 47ofthe vlatch 43, rasing vthe latch. At' the same time lug 4l on the coinfeedingdisk engages the lug 4Q on the locking diskiandgear 52 rotatesthefeed roller lt), whereby apredeterniined length of paper ll is feddownwardly. Simultaneously with the raising `of the aperture on theaeriphery of the locking.

disk 39. The resilient connecting means comprising the spring 53, whichnconnectedr` atone end to the coin feeding disk 37 and at the other endto the locking disk 39, causes the. coin feeding disk to return tooperative position with the `kerf 38 directly adjacent the lower end ofthe coin chute (S. i

Shouldthe previousnser have only'torn otf a port on of the sheet ofpaper, the coin feeding vk 37 will beloeked by the pawl 55 in someposition other than its startingor operative position. Vhen another coinis dropped in,.this will not prevent proper 'functioningof the device.nor will the user losehis coin'since the coin feeding Vdisk can berotated to complete itspartially completed rotation andthe remainderofthe sheetwill be fed through the feedinv' slot 66 at the basev ofythecasing. The newcoin will then: fall in place anda completerrevolution of the feeding mechanism can thenbe made and an entirenewsheet fed ont.

I have devised a machine which will always positively` return to Ytheoperative position in case an entire slreet has heenzfedi in-a pre--vious operation. However. if an entire sheet has not been fed in aprevious operation, the new coin is not admitted to its function ofreleasingthe mechanism until the remainder of the old sheet has beenexpelled from the machine. When this has occurred, then the new coin mayyfall into place and a complete new sheet may be obtained.

By reason of the fact that l have devised a machine which comprises afeeding mechanism which automatically locks, in combination with apositive gripping means for the sheet which operates simultaneously withthe feeding mechanism, I have devised a machine which is practicallyfool proof and'positive in its operation.

lVhile I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of myinvention, I wish it ffl to be understood that l do not confine myselfto the precise details of construction herein set forth, by Way ofillustration, as it is apparent that many changes and variations may bemade therein, by those skilled in the art, without departing from thespirit of the invention, or exceeding the scope of the appended claims.

l claim zl. ln a sheet dispensing apparatus, means for feeding a certainpredetermined length of sheet, a locking mechanism therefor adapted tobe released by a coin, a sheet gripping member, and means connecting thesheet gripping member and locking mechanism Whereby ra positive force istransmitted from the locking mechanism to the sheet gripping member toarrest the movement of the sheet.

ln a coin controlled apparatus for dispensing a sheet of paper, a supplyroller, a

feed roller, a locking member controlled by a. coin for controlling therotation of the feed roller, a rotatively mounted gripping edge forpositively gripping the paper, and means connecting the locking memberWith the gripping edge, whereby a positive force is transmitted from thelocking member to the gripping edge so that locking and gripping areeffected simultaneously.`

ln a sheet dispensing apparatus, means for feeding a certainpredetermined length of sheet, a locking mechanism therefor adapted tobe released by a coin, a gripping edge, and means operatively connectingthe gripping edge and the locking mechanism Whereby a positive force istransmitted from the locking mechanism to t-he gripping edge so that thegripping edge and locking mechanism cooperate together to arrest themovement of the sheet.

e. ln a sheet dispensing apparatus, means for feeding a certainpredetermined length of sheet, locking mechanism therefor, a latchadapted to be released by a coin, a gripping edge, a bell crank leverone arm of Which carries the gripping edge, and a link connecting thelatch and the other arm of the bell crank lever whereby the grippingedge and the locking mechanism co-operate together to arrest themovement of the sheet.

In a sheet dispensing machine, a guide chute through which a coin isfed, a movable member adapted to receive the coin, a locking membercooperating With the movable member, means for locking the lockingmember adapted to' be released by said coin, means operated by thelocking member to feed the sheet, an auxiliary gripping memberoperatively connected with the locking member for positively grippingthe sheet after the feeding operation, and means co-operating With thelocking member to return the movable member to operative position aftereach feeding operation.

6. In a coin controlled she-et dispensing machine, a supply roll, a feedroller, means for operating the feed roller and a coin operated lockingmechanism for same, a pressure roller adapted to bear on the feed rollerto cause the sheet to be fed upon rotation of the feed roller, and asheetgripping mechanism directly actuated by said locking mechanism.

7. In a. coin controlled sheet dispensing machine, a'supply roll, a feedroller and a coin operated locking mechanism for same, means foroperating the feed roller to cause the sheet to be fed upon rotation ofthe feed roller, and a sheet gripping mechanism positively actuated bysaid locking'mechanism whereby locking and gripping are effectedsimultaneously.

8. In a coin controlled sheet dispensing machine, a supply roll, a feedroller, means for operating the feed roller and a coin operated lockingmechanism for same, a pressure roller adapted to bear on the feed rollerto cause the sheet to be fed upon rotation of the feed roller, and aguide to hold the sheet in alignment With a sheet gripping mechanismdirectly and positively actuated by said locking mechanism.

In testimony whereof I aflX my signature.

CHARLIE C. JOHNSON.

